Chewton Glen, New Forest: hotel of the week

Eager to take your minibreaks to new heights? Book a spectacular treehouse hotel room at our best boutique spot of the week, Chewton Glen in the New Forest. With floor-to-ceiling windows and underfloor heating, the circular treehouse Loft Suites are the ideal spot for canoodling love birds, or for a luxurious child-friendly holiday hideaway…

Style Spa-spangled manorSetting New Forest pony-country

Why this week? As autumn turns to winter, where better to admire the changing forest scenery than up in the trees? Handily, Chewton Glen has an exclusive Smith offer: three nights for the price of two in its amazing new treehouse accommodation.

Our favourite bits Combining the old-school elegance of the Jeeves & Wooster era with a style-sharp modern sensibility, this hotel, spa, restaurant and country club is as seductive as it is suave. And, Chewton’s gorgeously grown-up five-roomed gastrodome (aka Vetiver) has a cosmopolitan menu serving guests whatever, whenever. The spectacular treehouse suites sleep two adults and up to four children in a double bedroom and galleried bunk area, with daily breakfast hampers delivered to your door.

For the kids For little Smiths, there’s a treehouse play area with telescopes, viewing platforms and a slide to explore. Closer to the hotel’s main building, the sunlounger-flanked heated outdoor family pool is open from April until September.

Mr & Mrs Smith say… ‘The decor at this Hampshire boutique hotel may be traditional, but it’s freshened up with contemporary lighting, big, bold flower displays and acid-coloured cushions resting on delightfully upholstered armchairs (an effect so potent that one starts saying things like ‘delightfully upholstered armchairs’ quite unselfconsciously). The front-of-house staff are unfailingly polite, but also rather quirky; as I swap my stilettos for flats, an older porter nods in sympathy and sighs that it is, indeed, hard work being stylish. When we finally get to our room, we question the wisdom of spending so much time out of it. It’s stunning.’

You say… ’As we drove in we rounded a corner and there was Chewton Glen. The hotel sits proudly within acres of manicured parkland with a par-3 golf course just visible to your right, and next to a stream we glimpsed two log swings just asking to be played with, whatever your age. We were met at reception and that was the last we saw of our car for the weekend as there was far too much to do in the hotel and in the surrounding area on foot. The room was immaculate and we quickly freshened up because we had afternoon tea booked – the first of many treats in store.’ (Gary, SilverSmith, stayed on 23 Mar, 2012.)Read more Guestbook entries for Chewton Glen, Hampshire…

It was while sailing the Norwegian fjords on a Ukrainian cruise ship aged 11 that Rachel Juarez-Carr decided she loved travel. Once she completed her journalism degree at the University of Westminster, Rachel ran off to Los Angeles and crisscrossed the US for the next seven years, writing for travel magazines and photographing everyone and everything. She’s currently back home in London, thrilled to be back shooting under grey skies and serving as Mr & Mrs Smith's senior editor.

What a stunning hotel – it looks beautiful. Here at Clarence Pier Southsea we are looking forward to a great summer ahead, with all manner of amusements, rides and activities for all the family. We hope you will join us too!

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